Awake my soul
by Carlie J. Cariba
Summary: I don t own anything! He didn t pull his teeth out of her neck and greedily drank her blood. A lot of blood. She was too dizzy and her eyelids grew heavy. Too much blood for her to bear. She slumped in her powerless and lost consciousness and when it didn't hurt anymore there was just one last thought on her mind: she chose the wrong path.
1. Preface

Preface

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are extremely strong.

It is not our darkness but our light that most intimidates us." Marianne Williamson

Mystic Falls 1894

His Life has been taken, even before it started. He knew it was insane to believe in coincidences or kismet because something like that didn't exist. There were only pain, hatred and unbearable desire he still seemed capable of feeling. Not a single drop of blood he had shed was his and yet he felt nothing but complete satisfaction and confidence that came with every object of his pure desire. He enjoyed every moment, even if that meant to be discovered. He had to do it. He liked to call it an inner inspiration, but there was hidden so much more behind the unassuming facade. His family, his friends, no one was able to interpret his nightly outputs. While the people he got to know personally didn't waste a single thought of supernatural things, the founders of Mystic Falls were anything but simple. They were convinced that creatures were lurking in the night shadows and just hoping to attack them. He carefully shook his head at that idea; after all there was no hope, no escape and no faith in the future. All those, whom he spoke to, would feel the fire of destruction with him, whether they wanted or not.

It was already December and the cold seemed to be jangling for the people. He didn't even note his breath when he stepped through the door that evening to find his brother Stefan. He could foresee that he would be together with his girlfriend Chloe. The daybreak seemed too far away that hours felt like trapped in eternity, but he wear his silver ring since he discovered it could protect him from the sun light. Stefan would never feel the prickle of skin in such a way as he did. Never feel wild heart beating from save distance or the dying breathe of people. He found him however a few miles away from their house in a dubious lane with an indignant feature. A damned, just like him, pushed his brother rudely into the stone ground and pushed his girl against the closed wall. The man was completely wrapped in a black cape and only his face concluded to what he would be capable of. She didn't seem less astonished than her boyfriend and tried in vain to escape from his claws. When her palm course contact with his cheek, he pressed his stocky body against hers and infuriated Stefan with thus even more. He could recognize the angry glitter in Stefan´s pupils immediately and knew he had to hurry to him as quickly as possible for his aid. "Please don´t!" Chloe whispered to him but his hands climbed her hips and soon reached for her trembling knees. Her white gown had already been stained with mud before her attacker threw her into sludge on the cold ground. Just as he was about to draw attention to his figure, a screeching sound was heard from the alley. The man led his slimy tongue down her throat and licked hungrily over it, just as if all life would depend on it. Suddenly his outcome fangs bite through her white flesh and as soon as blood poured of all her pores, his sense for smell took its appearance. Once the man saw him, he loosened his grip on Chloe´s chest, although he had a hungry face and seemed not ready to disappear unsatisfied. Thick blood dripped steadily from his mouth and his clothes and a brief eye contact with him was enough. He must have noticed he had black pupils too, for his feature hardened in an unsightly grimace. "Have a good evening, Sir." The figure before him bowed formally and a smile was playing around his mouth. Stefan and he watched as he disappeared with a daring leap on the wall in the darkness. Within seconds he leaned over Stefan´s dear girl, who was still bleeding. His mouth moved completely to her artery and before he knew it, he succumbed to his thirsty desire. He wrapped her mouth with his left palm, just too anxious to be able to satisfy his desire in haste. His teeth slid more and more intense in the sweet pleasure of fresh blood and he could see how her life slowly but more surely, faded away, without her strained body moving in his arms. Carefully he let his fingers glide over her petite frame, ignoring the haunting eyes of his brother. "What have you done?" Stefan demanded to know. He didn't reply because he would burn in damnation and his brother couldn't utter a sound as he bit in his flesh and threatened him to want more. Even as he convicted Stefan, he could still feel joy and he knew why. Damon Salvatore from Mystic Falls was long gone, only the shadow of him was there, which he was promised for eternity.


	2. Chapter one

It is not the fate which watches over us, it is the choice we made.

The war between good and evil takes not only place on battlefield. It is not a person against another or a group of people. It is rather the struggle of the inner worth to win, because every soul so dark contains something good even if it might appear without hope. But sometimes in any good is waiting a dark part which does demand for what it thirsted. Sometimes the force fighting for things which appears to be unworthy is the best thing to fight for. Sometimes there is nothing much left than the very soul. Sometimes, all that separates two people from two different worlds is just a heartbeat.

Mystic Falls 2004

She fell down...

Only shadows and darkness were around her and she was beyond frightening. Cold air hissed past her small figure and chased down a shiver on her spine. She tried to suppress she upcoming fear, but she knew it was useless. She was so alone and scared at that moment, she thought, that she didn't even breathe anymore, until she heard a loud crash right behind her. She wanted nothing more than to scream out for help, but no sound left her dry lips, which were hard pressed together in a thin line. It tasted salty just like the sea and the cool breeze appeared not to be unpleasant. She then slowly shut her very eyes and touched her forehead with her free hand; after all, she could have been bleeding without knowing. And, just as she assumed, it felt wet and it did hurt like nothing else. She noticed bitterly, that she was, in fact, still alive… Her head did hurt badly and the dull was slowly throbbing in her temples. The sky above her was dark and overcast with clouds. Some lightning lined at the edge of the wave clouds. The first raindrops reached the ground and collected in small puddles. Her black dress absorbs the water and when she started to shiver, she got up slowly and picked up her cape, which was soaked through, too. But it didn't matter to her then, when her bare feet run through the puddles. Desperate, she was trying to remember, but she couldn't. Light was suddenly filtering through the trees and then she saw someone, completely dressed in black, with a cruel smirk. She held her breath and closed her eyes...

Darkness ruled the night, spread like a blanket to dim the burning light of the stars. It swallowed up the sounds. Silence was a serenade to her listening ears. She was awake, plagued with thoughts of the upcoming day, of possibility. She couldn't sleep at all and she knew it wasn't her fault that she was so excited about the upcoming day. Her eyes fell in fleeting glances across the shadowed plains of the room. She stepped quickly out of the dark, her breath was fast and deep and her chest was going in and out at a blistering speed. Yet she was silent. When Elena had been fifteen years old, her mother had died. She couldn't remember her really and when she did try to remember, she just got flashes of images. Even though she hated her most of her life, she was still her mother she guessed bitterly. She didn't know whether she should laugh or cry about that thought, because there was her brother Jeremy who really suffered more than anyone. He was fourteen back then and didn't speak for weeks to anyone but his friends. There was Vicky Donovan, fifteen, who came from a rich family but couldn´t care less. He often skipped school with her to hang out. Sometimes she wondered if he even cared about his family anymore or the fact that they moved to a new town. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her hand was pressed against her chest. She felt so guilty for not saying goodbye to her father when Jeremy did. When she closed her eyes she could still see his face, only it was hurt, eyes brimming with tears behind his glasses. She needed to leave, so she made a promise with her aunt in Mystic Falls and left a note to her father in which she described her feelings and fears. Never in a million years would she have been able to talk about that face to face with him. They would see him soon, that was for sure and with thoughts about meeting her father and returning to school she finally fell into a dreamless sleep with a small smile on her pursed lips.

Elena Gilbert, just sixteen years old, woke up, completely startled, in her bed, after another sleepless night and only two hours of sleeping. When she heard someone downstairs she straightened her body immediately. It sounded like a loud blur of noise from her aunt. She groaned, while her eyes fluttered open; she looked so hurt. She took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. Everything will be fine, she told herself. It was only a dream. Her father was beyond sad and frustrated, when he found out about her mother´s dead and acted really cold towards her and her brother since that fateful day. It was just a few months ago, that they had left New York and her father behind to move in with their aunt Jenna in Mystic Falls. They hadn't talked to their father since then and it worried her slightly, that it didn't seem to bother her at all. A tear prickled down her cheek, as the thought of her dad filled her mind but she was good awhile later. She really didn't know what to wear, so she picked a jeans and a white shirt with shoes. With one last check over in the front door mirror, she skipped down to the kitchen for breakfast with an ever present burn on her face. Her aunt already had a stack of pancakes on the table and a friendly smile on her face when she walked in.

"Morning, Elena. You look fine today." She was clearly in a good state of mind and didn't bother to show it to her. She however, greeted her softly back, while grabbing a plate and loading it with some fresh fruits and some cakes. Elena looked around and didn't see her brother.

"Jenna, where is Jeremy?" She asked interested but didn't really think her aunt would know, because she has her sad look on her face and didn't look at Elena.

"He wasn't in his room. I assume that he already left for school early."

Jenna tried to sound sure about it but failed. Elena however was worried about her brother. "Are you okay?" Jenna asked as she absent-mindedly flipped a pancake on the griddle, still smiling.

"Um, I woaau nd eweven. I am fink." She answered, mouth stuffed with syrup drenched breakfast and somehow felt embarrassed by her behavior but at least it took her thoughts away from Jeremy.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, please." Taking a sip of apple juice, Elena gulped down her pancake and wiped her dry lips off with the back of her hand. She really learned better than to behave like that.

"Sorry!" It was nearly a noise, but her aunt did really understand her as usual, what she was glad for, as she spoke again.

"That's quite alright." Jenna chuckled, sitting down across from her and dishing herself some breakfast. Then her face changed into something she couldn't read and she knew she wanted to ask her something.

"Are you heading to school?" Stopping herself from talking with food in her mouth another time, she only nodded and felt instantly uncomfortable.

"So, when do you want to go then? Do you want me to go with you?" She asked, pointing to the clock behind her head. Elena turned, staring blankly at the bright orange clock hanging on the wall there. She swallowed the rest of the pancake in her mouth.

"Whoa, now! You don't need to…" It was already 07:48 am. Her eyebrow quirked, noticing her strange enthusiasm. She grabbed her bag from the floor and rushed to the front door. From behind her, Jenna called, "See you later!" She hardly noticed, there was too much excitement spilling from her every pore, as she ran to her car.

She knew exactly that she was too early and school wouldn't start soon, as she arrived at Mystic Falls High School, but she wanted to see if Jeremy was there, too. It was warm in town and she couldn't help but to play with her brown hair, as soon as a cold breath found its way to her. She grinned happily and turned one more time around to see if anybody was there, only to see the old Ford. It wasn't really worth a second glance but she really loved his car, since it was the last present from her dad Grayson to her before she left New York. She blinked twice and felt a single tear on her cheek. She was about to go back to her car, but decided to better look out for something else. And that's when she saw him. He was wearing a dark jeans, loose fitting button shirt and white sneaker. She could see that he was not alone and could see his smirk, as if he was some highness or something like that. Elena's eyes instantly searched for someone else in the crowd just to not look at him. She smiled brightly when she saw a small girl before her, winking at her.

"Hi. My name is Bonnie Bennett and you are? You looked so lost here and nobody comes here so early but me." The girl had a huge smile on her lips.

"Yeah, I figured that…Anyway, my name is Elena Gilbert and you are right, I am kinda lost because I am new here." She admitted slowly to her with folding hands.

"Sorry to ask, but didn't you bring a bag or books to school?" She asked Elena irritated, who looked down at her.

"Oh yes, I did in fact. Just left it in my car, since school wouldn't start too soon." She explained to the dark headed girl. "If that's so, come on, go grab your bag and I will show you around, since there should be enough time left." The girl said a little bossy, but Elena seemed somehow like it, because at least she wouldn't be alone on her first day there. She practically ran back to her car while Bonnie was already waiting for her before the entrance of the huge building. Maybe she was a bit too nervous, because as soon as she spotted her Elena tripped and felt right on her arm before she could find any hold. Dusting off her jeans as she stood up, both of them burst out laughing. However, being much too familiar with these outbursts, she only raised an eyebrow. There was a long pause before anyone spoke.

"Are you okay?" Bonnie asked. Elena sighed. "Don't worry. It did happen a lot in the past. I am like used to it by now." She felt a bit embarrassed and had this bad feeling that Bonnie would just go and laughed at her clumsiness. Great. First day of school and she already embarrassed herself, she wouldn't have been surprised if by lunch the whole school would know.

"Well, that was quite impressive, wasn't it." Bonnie gave back and rubbed her forehead. What did that supposed to mean? She already knew that it wasn't, but that didn't mean Bonnie need to snap at her. They just met and she didn't know her. Just a moment later she apologized, after she saw Elena's face drowning.

"Come on, don't give that look, I was only kidding. Let´s go." Bonnie said and grabbed her by her arm. They walked in silence into the huge school, but when she let go of her, Elena suddenly was about to fall to the ground again, but out of nowhere somebody caught her by her arms and held her close. She was too shocked to look up but did it anyway just to look into bright blue eyes she ever saw before. He was probably a student and she didn't give the first impression she should be making, but none the less the smile that she had been trying to suppress quickly came back to her lips. He smiled slowly back to her and shifted his weight from his right leg to his left, as if he weren't sure what to say or to do anymore and almost the first thing she noticed was a silver ring he wear. He seemed to follow her gaze and one hand popped to the pocket of his leather jacket while the other touched his silky brown hair. She was about to say something to him but he was gone within a second. She shook her head in disbelief. She felt her breathing increase and her whole body flush and her hands begin to sweat as half the school turned to stare in their direction. How was that even possible? She hadn't seen anyone out there. She felt immediately trapped what seemed to be becoming a bit of a habit.

"Elena? Are you okay?" She spun out of her trance and saw Bonnie's concerned face looking over her. Then Bonnie stared at her blankly for a minute before she shook her head. "Again? Seriously?" She gaped at her, while her long brown hair falling into her face. Elena hadn't said a single word throughout the entire exchange. She didn't miss the fact that Bonnie gave her a thumb up with a look of smug happiness on her face. She was sorely tempted to make a gesture with one hand, but unfortunately her hands were both full. She gave her a modest little nod and a smile, before they went to their first class, only Elena with bright red cheeks.

After four classes and countless of irritating looks from classmates Elena and Bonnie were on their way to the cafeteria.

"He seems weird ", Bonnie announced as they sat down to have lunch. Elena couldn't understand the meaning of her words or who she was talking about. However Bonnie pointed with her hand to the boy that kept her from falling and Elena seems suddenly interested.

"He?" She really didn't want to know where that would lead to.

"Yeah", she waved away Elena's exclamation.

"Sure, him."

"Wonder why?" Elena mumbled under her breath, not being able to stop herself, but Bonnie didn't actually hear it. They ate in absolutely silence and Elena took a sip of her milk coffee, when Bonnie began to speak again.

"So tell me Elena, where are you from?" "Well, I am from New York and just moved in with my uncle a few days ago." Elena hoped, she wouldn't ask why she had moved there or where her parents were. " Wow. I always wanted to go there. So how is your first day so far Elena?" She really wanted to know, interested, what never happened before to Elena. Sure, she had had a friend in New York, but it did take a lot longer before they had befriended. "It was actually quite good…" She looked at her schedule she got before. "Hey, do you happen to know where history class is?" "Yeah, sure. I happen to know, because my next lesson is history, too." Bonnie answered and glared at her, when they were about to leave, but then Bonnie suddenly stopped in her tracks, frozen.

"Well, hello there I am Stefan Salvatore and you are?" They hadn't seen him coming and _he was looking at Elena, gazing. It's almost like he was picking out every detail, before she answered quietly. _

"Elena Gilbert and we were just leaving, so…." Bonnie found it somehow rude of him that he only talked to Elena and dragged her by her hands to their next class. "Don´t talk to him Elena."

"What?" She demanded to know. "Stefan Salvatore. He might act all nice at first but he is really a pain in life." She spoke so bitterly and poorly of that guy, that Elena didn't know whether to believe her or not. They reached the classroom within a minute and she nearly died of a heart attack, as soon as she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Hello, you must be Elena Gilbert, the new student. I am Mrs. Smith." It was an elderly woman with a black dress who was facing Bonnie and her and she wished she hadn't looked up to that particular teacher, because she didn't know if she should laugh or cry. This woman had no sense for make-up or for hair dressing. Her lips were so red and some lip stick was on her teeth. She could see that clearly, when she smiled at her. Her blond her was wavy but it has something red on it she couldn't figure out. All in all she did more look like a clown than a high school teacher. A quick side glance showed, that Bonnie did think the same. Mrs. Smith mood changed into a weird look on her face as soon as Elena's Savior stepped in. Nearly everyone held their breath, not daring to look or step. He showed no emotion until he saw Elena and took a step forwards her, but his teacher held up her hand as if to warn him. He just nodded once and waved.

"Class this is Elena Gilbert, a new student. I hope you will welcome her." She said calmly and nodded her head to the seat right behind Bonnie. She sat down immediately, but squirmed uncomfortably in her seat and Bonnie gave her a look of pure horror. She wished she had the courage to spring up from her chair and leave class, but she couldn't think of anything she had done wrong. Stefan was staring at her again, mischief dancing in his green eyes. Why was he doing it again? Elena felt even more uncomfortable than before her little accident with him. Well, if she was honest, she tripped two times that day and unfortunately the second time she landed right in the arms of Stefan Salvatore, who seemed to stare at her every time she wasn't looking. Fortunately class was over soon and both, Elena and Bonnie, stormed out of class.

"What is wrong with him?" Bonnie asked when they were walking along the corridor.

"I don't know." Elena knew she was talking about Stefan and she really didn't want to. She thought that he was just a normal guy and what harm could one guy do?

Classes were just like in New York; she was barely visible to anyone but Bonnie. It was this feeling that she was just there but nothing more and she felt somehow glad for this. She didn't want to be notice by anyone, because that would mean that she had to prove herself at some point. It was always like that, she had tried before. Bonnie seemed to be the only one who didn't expect something from her or wanted some explaining for bad behavior. She didn't know why, but she had a bad feeling that someone was watching her. Of course she told herself every time she thought so that it was just her imagination. She waved her new found friend Bonnie when she left, it was after all end of classes that day and she wanted nothing more than to leave the school building, but out of the corner of her eyes Elena saw a strange shadow behind her. She didn't look back, until a creaking caused her to jump. Looking around the empty corridor, she saw no sign of anyone. She slumped down the wall, cursing herself for being so easily scared. What could possibly hurt her? A shudder went through her vulnerable body. "I need to get some air." She breathed to no one particular as she went for door. She knew she had risen late, and the corridor was completely empty, but she wasn't bothered until she saw somebody lying on the floor and to Elena´s shock it was one of the teachers she met before, Mr. Hutchins, with both eyes wide open.

"Leave!" He shouted very seriously at her and closed his eyes for a moment. When she didn't move he tried again, this time even angrier. "Leave now! Or I swear I will make you leave." He gestured to the empty corridor with bloody hands she hadn't recognized before. She was beyond scared but couldn't dare to leave him behind.

"What happened Mr. Hutchins?" She asked with shaky voice and hands.

"Nothing that I couldn't handle." He replied dryly.

"I can´t just leave, Sir." It was no option for her to go. "Why can´t you just go?" Mr. Hutchins said very annoyed and looked to the next door, which was opened. His eyes were so dark, she couldn't remember, if she ever saw such red eyes before. Elena wanted to know what her teacher was afraid of and slowly began to step forward to the classroom door. Of course there wasn't anyone in that room and relieve shoot through her venous and her whole body. She blinked back at her teacher and saw that he would be bleeding to death if she just stood there. She didn't know what to do so she just went back, bend down to his small body and tried to stop the blood from coming out, but it has no use. It was too much of it. She knew instantly, that he was going to die from his injuries on his arm and neck, if she would just watch. "Leave!" He snored heavily.

"Who is there?" She whined through the lost corridor. Then, as if he'd been born from the shadows, a figure appeared. Completely bewildered, Elena squinted to see who it was that stood a so little ways from her. He was still protected by the shadow but when he did finally step into the light, she felt her mouth drop open. Before her stood a man she had never seen before but he couldn't have been any older than she. His hair was wild and shocking and had a dark color she had never seen on a person before. His skin looked so pale in the flickering light and his eyes were a startling shade of brown that stood out even though a considerable amount of space separated them. Finally her eyes fell to his mouth and the smirk that was curving his lips. She clamped her mouth shut and pressed her lips into a hand line, lowering her eyes to the floor. He flinched violently and his eyes blazed with anger, as he walked towards her.


	3. Chapter two

Sometimes it is not a feeling, it is intuition. The intuition to believe that something did exist can be more tempting than not to believe in fairy tales.

_Bumb, bumb, bump!_

Her eyelids fluttered painfully over her eyes and her heart felt as if it were beating out of her chest or reverberating off her eardrums straight to her brain. She winced and she was about to touch the part of her body that hurt, but she couldn't really move her wrist as it hurt so much. Every move of it would have only made the pain grew worse so she just ignored it for a while. Even still, through the biting discomfort, her eyelids steadily fluttered their way open. Her vision was obscured, but she could make out that there was really nothing surrounding her, at least that what was she thought anyway. She stood up and was about to search for her teacher, when she was suddenly stopped. Before her stood the young man from before who eyed her blankly. Startled, she jerked back, because she hadn't heard footsteps behind her. The man appeared to find it amusing. "Whom do we have here? A sheep in wolf's clothing. A kitten in the tiger costume." With one final step he stood before her, she didn't even have the time to retreat, and then he put the hood from his forehead. Normally she wouldn't have feared a man, but something told her this was different. He was different and so she backed away with fearful eyes. This time his smile remained, but it was so cold that a shiver ran down her spine. She opened her mouth slightly, but the man spoke before her.

"I did not think that you would directed to me that easily. But well, the sooner I'm back, the better for my order." Order? She finally found her voice again.

"Nice that you think I could help you, but sorry, I've really no time to stay." With these words she wanted to slip through under his arm, but he was faster and the next moment she was pushed roughly against the wall. Dark hair fell into his distinctive face and almost concealed his eyes, which shone bright brown and with which he looked at her so blankly. In any other situation she would have probably felt him to be extremely good-looking, but now conquered the fear conquered.

"What do you want from me?" She asked bewildered and struggled against his grip, that's why he grabbed her more tightly.

"You." He said simply, and grinned as he saw Elena´s horrified expression, "But not as you think, sweetheart."

"What am I thinking then?" She tried, challenging, and the next moment she wished she hadn't. What a great idea that was, to challenging him. The man laughed at her. "In any case, you need to stay alive Miss." He looked at her face and then turned away quickly, as if he was looking for something or someone. Mr. Hutchins.

"It is you! There can´t be a mistake from Klaus." He cried out to her, and dragged her into the middle of the corridor. She stumbled.

"I do not know Klaus, please let go of me." She struggled in vain, as his grip was like a vise for her.

"Of course not." His voice dripping with irony.

"Really! Who's Klaus?" Fear were tied to her throat, because the guy had his finger not just on her arm!

"Let go of me." She pleaded, but of course he ignored her. Damn it! Damn this guy!

"Who is Klaus?" She repeated her last question, and finally the guy looked back down at Elena. He roughly laughed and slipped me a shiver down her spine again.

"Stupid question, Miss. But I'll tell you soon enough ..." His eyes went briefly to the ground and concern was lying down on his eyes.

"We must hurry, it is already late enough," he turned to leave with her. Immediately she kicked him hard and his reaction was more than surprising. The man let go of her abruptly, spun around and stared at her with his piercing light brown eyes.

"Do not play with me! You can be very happy that you do not have to face Klaus now." He hissed. She stepped back, startled. But as soon as he had been quite upset, he calmed down again. With a sigh, he reached for her arm once more.

"He is waiting and we should not irritate it more. We better hurry up Miss."

"You really believe I would leave with you?" She asked furiously as she stumbled after him.

"Of course, cause you will." His voice sounded so focused, but for her the situation was more than absurd.

"You are crazy." She gasped and stopped, waiting for him to act.

"We can do the easy or the painful way, honey. The choice is all yours." He finally announced and she had enough of this horror.

"Oh well, I won´t go with you. Clear. You're talking rubbish."

For the first time he didn't look amuse nor did he laugh at her.

"Do not make fun of it." He growled and bared his teeth. Elena looked at him mockingly. That gave it to him apparently. With a snarl he lunged for her. She took two steps back and tore up her arms protectively. She didn't notice she stood in the glare of the sun, until the man who has just attacked her standing in front of her, holding something she couldn't see and muttering some strange words. Suddenly he stopped and looked around. A yellow light surrounded him within a second and slammed him to the next wall. Horrified, she put her hands to her face, while his tortured screams echoed through the halls and she got the smell of burnt flesh in the nose. One moment later she blinked in the bright sun, while she began to realize what had happened. The cries of the man were still ranging in her ears. Dazed, she let herself fall to the ground and hugged her knees more than tightly with her arms, sitting there what felt like hours to her. Only when felt someone´s arms around her from behind, she got up startled, but then she saw it was Bonnie, who forget her cellphone in her locker. "Elena? How long have you been sitting her? I thought you left long ago." She was really irritated and Elena didn't even know how to answer her question, because she wasn't quite sure it was all real. Mr. Hutchins wasn't there anymore and there wasn't any blood anymore where she had seen it. Could she have had a bad daydream? In fact, she didn't sleep too well the night before and she felt as if she had slept for hours. She looked up. "Hi Bonnie. I was just leaving. You know my clumsiness, I just tripped, nothing to bother or worry about." She tried to assure Bonnie, who seemed to believe her lie and got her cellphone.

"Okay, let´s go then Elena." Elena didn't know why, but she felt as if someone was watching her like a shadow, as soon as they left the school building.

Elena sighed as she picked up her steaming mug full of coffee in the kitchen because she couldn't find sleep anyway later that day. She had woken up in her bed the next morning and to make things worse, with no memory of the day before. She knew she was at school and it has been a sleepless and tormenting night for her. She took another sip of her coffee, she had tried to get to sleep but two faces were hounding her dreams, Mr. Hutchins and the strangers. It felt so real and yet so unbelievable. She turned her head as she heard somebody leaning against the open door.

"Oh hello" She muttered as she saw Jenna."

"Are you ok?" Her aunt asked standing next to the door.

"I'm fine." She tried to sound as if it was the truth, but of course, it wasn't.

"Are you sure about that?" She sounded concerned, even if it wasn't really necessary. She really did that a lot since she moved in with her.

"Yes Jenna, I am pretty sure about it." She really shouldn't have lied that often.

"Good, because I need to talk about something with you."

She made a face. Hopefully it was not about her school. She asked in a serious tone what her aunt did want to talk about. However she was indeed surprised when she smiled warmly and told her about the least thing she had expected: a man called Ric. Elena did in fact look a bit taken aback, but her aunt didn't seem to notice as she raised her voice again in a well-mannered tone.

"Elena, do you not remember Ric?" She wanted to shake her head, but decided otherwise, because she certainly did remember that man. Just a few months ago her aunt did truly tell her about a man she had met at a small coffee shop in Mystic Falls. It shows her, that she must have really liked him and her next words did somehow shock Elena.

"I really like this man and maybe I even want to move in with him some day, so really, I want you and Jeremy to meet him tomorrow for dinner." Slowly she moved her lips to form a sentence, but it seemed hopeless. Her brother wasn't the average fifteen year old student. Jeremy did in fact hang out with the wrong people and she felt so hopeless in New York about that. She just hoped that he would change and find a new begin in Mystic Falls, even when he skipped most of his first day at a new school. Hope will never die for her. She formed a bright smile and nodded two times in her direction. She was full of proud for her aunt and glad that she wanted them to meet the man her heart had chosen.

"Dinner tomorrow sounds good." She cheered and danced with her beaming eyes around the room.

"That's great. She has a son who is seventeen, so just one year older than you are. He will be there, too. His name his Matt and before you even asked he does go to Greenwich High School." Jenna said holding her hands up.

"Oh…That's pretty cool."

"Yeah, Yeah…I know….he is as good looking as his father." Was she serious?

"I can´t say anything since I never met him."

"Just kidding, Elena."

"Funny aunt Jenna." She had so much fun with her aunt she didn't really care anymore that her father lived in New York and seemed to have forgot about her very existence. It was more Jeremy she was worried about.

Tears were streaming down her face as she went down the sidewalk just minutes later. She did tell Jenna she would just go for a walk before school, but it was of course a lie. She needed to figure out some things. She couldn't hold any other thought but the vision of Mr. Hutchins on the floor, bleeding to death, because she didn't see him afterwards. Was it really just a dream or could it have been true what she saw? It was only then when she looked around, that she noticed that the streets were empty and dilapidated. She stopped undecided. On the one hand, loneliness was just exactly what she needed, on the other hand ...She glanced over her shoulder. Ever since she had left the house, she felt quite observed, like someone would watch her.

"Oh great, now I'm really paranoid." She mumbled, turned around and hit something. It was the torso of a man who had the hood pulled low over his face. "Sorry." She said, startled and looked up. But then her breath was taken away, when she looked at him a bit closer. He twinkled at her, pale green and unfathomable. She stumbled backwards and almost fell over. "Where are you going so fast, my pretty?" He asked with a smirk. She knew better than to talk with strangers, but couldn't hold herself back as ever. "None of your business", she hissed, tugging at her arm. To her surprise, he obeyed, but built in front of her.

"Really, is that so?" He asked quite amused. Why was he so amused about that situation? She didn't understand this stranger.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that", she replied dryly. Slowly the guy pushed his hood from his forehead. It was not quite dark and so she came around to look at him more closely. She noticed that he looked really good, even if he seemed a bit scary. The dark hair fell over his forehead in the casual and almost hid his green eyes ... those eyes ... she stared almost too fascinated at him until his lips curved into a grin. Elena didn't even believe he would say anything else to her but she seemed to be wrong about it. He murmured some darkly words and was gone without a sound. She blinked, mouth wide open like some time before that day. What was that? Shaking her head she nearly tripped over a stone while running home. There had been more than enough surprises in two days.


End file.
